German Emma Aicher wins World Cup slalom in Levi, Finland

Emma Aicher took advantage of Mikaela Shiffrin’s absence on Saturday. The German all-around star claimed her first-career World Cup slalom victory in Levi, Finland, posting a two-run time of 1 minute, 52.62 seconds. “It’s definitely a good birthday present,” said Aicher, who turned 23 on Friday and became the first skier other than Shiffrin or Petra Vlhova to claim a win in Levi in 12 years. Aicher, runner-up in both the overall and downhill globe races last season, has five World Cup wins on her resume — all in speed races. On Saturday, the two-time Olympian built a 0.36-second lead after the first run, with Lara Colturi and Zrinka Ljutic sitting in second and third, respectively. Aicher maintained a calm and composed demeanor on the second to hold off Colturi, who finished second. Meanwhile, Austrian Katharina Truppe jumped two places to claim the final step on the podium. “I managed two solid runs, with no big mistakes — maybe I could have done some parts better,” Aicher told FIS.

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